MIT Technology Review - fuelhttp://www.technologyreview.com/tagged/fuel/
enA Less Resource-Intensive Way to Make Ethanolhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/526456/a-less-resource-intensive-way-to-make-ethanol/
<p>Stanford researchers develop a copper catalyst that can efficiently convert carbon monoxide and water to ethanol.</p><p>Today, nearly all ethanol fuel is made from corn or sugarcane, which requires vast tracts of land and huge quantities of water and fertilizer. Researchers at Stanford University have now developed an electrochemical process that could be far cheaper and better for the environment.</p>Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:10:31 +0000juniper.friedman526456 at http://www.technologyreview.comCleaner, Cheaper Liquid Fuel from Coalhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/426551/cleaner-cheaper-liquid-fuel-from-coal/
<p>A new conversion process promises zero carbon emissions during production—but some question whether it will scale.</p><p><a href="http://sri.com/" target="_blank">SRI International</a> is developing a process that combines coal and natural gas to produce liquid transportation fuels that are substantially cleaner and cheaper to make than existing synthetic fuels.</p>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000digitalservices426551 at http://www.technologyreview.comNatural Gas Upgrade?http://www.technologyreview.com/news/425622/natural-gas-upgrade/
<p>A California startup gets new funding for cracking the puzzle of how to make liquid chemicals directly from methane.</p><p>Spurred by the long-term prospects of cheap and abundant supplies of natural gas, <a href="http://siluria.com/" target="_blank">Siluria</a>, an early-stage San Francisco startup, has received $20 million in new funding to invent technology to convert methane—the main component of natural gas—into ethylene, a feedstock that is used in much of the world’s chemical production. If Siluria is successful—the technology is still confined to laboratory testing—it could transform the economics of producing various chemicals and plastics, and even fuels.</p>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices425622 at http://www.technologyreview.comNASA Offers $200 Million for an Orbiting Gas Stationhttp://www.technologyreview.com/view/423968/nasa-offers-200-million-for-an-orbiting-gas-station/
<p>Refueling technology will allow smaller and cheaper rockets to be used for many missions.</p><p>The future of human and robotic exploration will mean trips to deep space destinations like the moon, Mars, or asteroids. But getting there and returning home on one tank of gas while carrying a sizable payload is almost impossible. The solution? In-space refueling technology, which enables spacecrafts to tank up in low Earth orbit. </p>Tue, 10 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices423968 at http://www.technologyreview.comCould Cows Make Biofuels Better?http://www.technologyreview.com/news/422544/could-cows-make-biofuels-better/
<p>Enzymes found in the animals’ digestive tract could be the key.</p><p>A study of the microbes that allow cows to digest grass could lead to better ways of making cellulosic biofuels.</p>Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000digitalservices422544 at http://www.technologyreview.comMaking Industrial Bugs Work Harderhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/421070/making-industrial-bugs-work-harder/
<p>A new technology aims to keep microorganisms that make chemicals alive longer.</p><p>Microorganisms can sometimes produce chemicals and fuels as cheaply as conventional methods, while using sugar instead of petroleum. Technology developed by researchers at Argonne National Laboratories could help reduce the cost of production of chemicals or fuels made using microorganisms, and potentially increase the range of such materials. It does this, in part, by keeping the bugs alive for longer. The researchers recently announced that <a href="http://www.nalco.com/industries.htm" target="_blank">Nalco</a>, a company based in Naperville, Illinois, will commercialize the technology.</p>Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices421070 at http://www.technologyreview.comFuel Sipping Diesel Hybrids to Debut in Europehttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/420704/fuel-sipping-diesel-hybrids-to-debut-in-europe/
<p>High fuel prices make the cars cost-effective in Europe.</p><p>Next year, European automakers <a href="http://www.peugeot.com/en/products/cars/3008hybrid4.aspx" target="_blank">Peugeot</a> and <a href="http://www3.mercedes-benz.com/mbcom_v4/us/en.html" target="_blank">Mercedes-Benz</a> will introduce <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/article/16572/">the first diesel hybrid</a> cars, which will get about 60 miles per gallon. Peugeot expects to be the first to market with its 3008Hybrid4 in the spring. The Mercedes E 300 Blue Tec hybrid is due out by the end of 2011.</p>Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices420704 at http://www.technologyreview.comGoing Further on the Same Tankhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/420289/going-further-on-the-same-tank/
<p>A technology coming to Chrysler vehicles can improve the fuel economy of standard gasoline engines by 25 percent.</p><p>Chrysler is unveiling a way to squeeze more fuel efficiency out of existing gasoline engines, adopting a technology pioneered by Fiat, which controls Chrysler. The effort represents the latest strategy by automakers to meet federal standards that require an automotive fleet to get an average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. </p>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices420289 at http://www.technologyreview.comGasifying Biomass with Sunlighthttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/417947/gasifying-biomass-with-sunlight/
<p>A solar-driven process could yield far more fuel than conventional biomass production.</p><p><a href="http://www.sundropfuels.com/" target="_blank">Sundrop Fuels</a>, a startup based in Louisville, CO, says it has developed a cleaner and more efficient way to turn biomass into synthetic fuels by harnessing the intense heat of the sun to vaporize wood and crop waste. Its process can produce twice the amount of gasoline or diesel per ton of biomass compared to conventional biomass gasification systems, the company claims.</p>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000digitalservices417947 at http://www.technologyreview.comA New Recipe for Rocket Fuelhttp://www.technologyreview.com/view/416464/a-new-recipe-for-rocket-fuel/
<p>Researchers are using aluminum and frozen water to make a propellant that could allow rockets to refuel on the moon or even Mars.</p>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000digitalservices416464 at http://www.technologyreview.com